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EPA Concludes Action Against New Hampshire Company Over Hazardous Waste Violations

Release Date: 04/04/2002
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, EPA Press Office (617) 918-1013

BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has resolved a case against a Franklin, N.H. foundry for violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act – or RCRA – that governs the generation, treatment, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes.
The Franklin Non-Ferrous Foundry will pay a penalty of $8,500 to settle this case. This amount is based in part on information the company submitted to EPA about their ability to pay a penalty. The company could have faced penalties of as much as $27,500 a day for each RCRA violation.

Franklin is a metal castings manufacturer and its operations generates lead-contaminated waste, as much as one 55-gallon drum per month. EPA and New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services inspectors visited the company in January 2000 as part of the EPA's ongoing initiative on foundries.

The inspectors determined that the company, among other things, failed to get a permit to store hazardous waste for more than 90 days; failed to conduct weekly inspections of hazardous waste storage areas; failed to make hazardous waste determinations failed to provide hazardous waste training to employees; failed to submit an accurate hazardous waste annual report; failed to properly mark hazardous waste containers; and failed to accurately complete manifest records.

"Not following the basic RCRA requirements significantly increases the likelihood of a hazardous waste spill or human exposure to such waste. This action should substantially improve hazardous waste management at Franklin and encourage the same compliance at other foundries," said Ira Leighton, acting deputy regional administrator of EPA New England.

Leighton added that this settlement is expected to encourage the reduction of lead waste into the environment and to promote environmental compliance by other foundries.